Making It Up As We Go Along
by midnightluck
Summary: In which there is make-up, dancing, flirting, teasing, crossdressing for a good cause, and team bonding through the power of lipgloss.


__All recognizable characters belong to their respective owners (Cartoon Network, DC). For a prompt on YJ_Anon_Meme.__

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><p>Artemis frowned. Robin was staring at her again.<p>

He obviously wasn't trying to be subtle, because if he was then she wouldn't have noticed at all. So why was he staring?

"Stop that," she snapped.

To his credit, Robin didn't ask what she meant, and instead said, "Sorry. It's just that your eyeliner is crooked."

Her hand flew to her eyes. "What?"

She'd been walking around with bad makeup all day, and none of her friends had told her?

"I noticed earlier," Robin said. "It's been bothering me."

Artemis didn't wear too much makeup too often, just a little around the eyes to help disguise their shape. She didn't want to draw attention to them, so crooked eyeliner? Not so good.

She patted her pockets, then turned to her backpack, digging for a mirror.

"Here, let me," Robin said, gripping her chin and lifting her head. There was a small makeup kit on the table, a long piece of unrolled fabric. He grabbed a small black stick and said, "Close your eyes."

She sat there, feeling a bit awkward as Robin put a little pressure on each of her eyelids. Then it stopped, and she opened her eyes. Robin stared at her through his mask and said, "Close them? As long as I'm at it..."

She did, and there were a few _clicks_ and a _snap_, and then a light pressure on the lid of her eye.

So for a few more minutes, she sat there with her eyes closed, suppressing the urge to twitch. Robin hmm'ed and said things like, "Open your mouth," and "Turn to the left a bit."

Finally, he stepped back. Artemis's eyes flew open, and she blinked at him. He nodded decisively and pulled a mirror from his belt, offering it to her.

She took it, half afraid to look. On the one hand, Robin was trained by Batman, famous for his "just-in-case-of-apocalypse" plans and style of training. On the other, what would a prepubescent boy know about makeup?

Robin rolled the kit back up and stuck it back in his utility belt. Okay, so that meant Bat-trained in makeup, right?

She didn't recognize the girl in the mirror. She was just plain Artemis, and the girl in the mirror was..._gorgeous_. Runway model, stop-and-stare, drop-dead gorgeous.

A little pale, with high cheekbones and stunning eyes, just a bit cat-shaped and with lashes out to _there_, and lips that glistened red. High, arching eyebrows, and smoky eyeshadow that accentuated and flattered, bringing out the grey in her eyes.

It looked impossibly perfect and totally natural. At the same time.

She twisted her head to see from different angles, then opened her mouth and found she had absolutely nothing to say.

"I..."

Luckily for Artemis's shut-down mind, M'gann walked into the room just then. "There you are, Artemis! I was wondering—Wow!"

Artemis hadn't been paying attention, but Robin was back in his seat, balancing his textbook between his knee and the table. He looked up when she entered, and grinned at her. "Do we get cookies today?"

"Artemis!" she squealed. "You look amazing! Not that you're not pretty normally, because you are, but, wow!" She floated over to get a better look. "You look so beautiful, and mature!"

Superboy turned around on his couch to see what was going on, and blinked. "Is that makeup? Can makeup do that?"

"Sure," Robin shrugged. "Makeup can do pretty much anything."

"I thought it only made people pretty."

"I guess the genomes didn't think you needed to know the history of cosmetics," Robin laughed. "It can make people ugly, or young people look old, or make people look like animals, or more."

Superboy thought about this for a minute. "It can make people look older than they are?"

Robin stared at him for a second, and then stood up. "Hold onto that thought; I'll go get my real kit."

Megan was just settling into Robin's chair when Artemis finally realized that agreeing to everything Megan had said would be vain, and instead dropped the bombshell on her. "Robin did it."

M'gann blinked. "Robin did your makeup?"

Artemis nodded, and went back to staring in the mirror.

Robin wasn't through the door before he was met by M'gann. "Please do me, too? Please?"

Robin snickered. "Sure, I'll do you. But I promised to do Superboy first."

Superboy stared at him but before he could say, _No, you didn't_, Robin perched across from him on the couch, a large case spread before him.

"Now hold still," Robin instructed. "And close your eyes."

"Don't give me orders," Superboy said, and closed his eyes. Then, "You're not making me pretty, are you? I don't want to be pretty."

Robin chuckled. "No, I'm not making you pretty. If I were, though, I think you'd be handsome, not pretty."

"I could too be pretty," Superboy objected.

"Sure you could be. Now stop frowning, please?"

There was silence as everyone watched Robin work. Superboy stayed still, even when something cold was rubbed onto his face, and something that smelled was rubbed on his lips, and when a brush tickled his cheeks.

Finally, Robin scooted back and closed the case. "You can open your eyes now," he said.

Superboy did, and stared at Robin, M'gann, and Artemis as they stared at him.

"Not bad for not having a reference," Robin nodded to himself. "Artemis, pass the mirror?"

At first, Superboy thought he didn't look much different. But there was a, a something to his face. He looked...stronger. Older.

He looked like Superman.

"Thank you," he said quietly, gripping the mirror. He wasn't ready to give it up, not just yet.

"Sure," Robin answered, getting up. "Now, I believe Megan wanted a go...?"

"Oh, please!" M'gann said, pulling her chair up to the one Robin was setting his case on. "You're really good at this!"

"Lots of practice," he answered absently, looking her over with a practiced eye. "You want it for green skin, or would you like to change colors?"

To everyone's surprise, it was Artemis who answered. "Be pink. So that then we can go outside...?"

M'gann nodded, a healthy peach color flooding her skin. "Can we go shopping, or out to eat?" she asked.

"Artemis just wants to show off her prettyness," Robin informed her with a straight face. "Of course we can go out after this. Well, after Kid Flash gets done with his science club and Kaldur gets back from Atlantis."

M'gann wrinkled her nose at the glide of cool liquid. "What is that?"

"Foundation. It gives a smooth base for me to work on, while evening skin tone and covering imperfections," Robin rattled off.

"Did Batman teach you this?" Artemis wanted to know.

Robin's hands were steady, one turning her face up a bit, the other thumb sweeping her eyelid. "He taught me a little. We're good at disguises, have to be." There was a pause, before his voice became a little rougher. "But it was just finishing; I learned makeup when I was young. We all had to know it, just in case, and... Well. Never mind."

There was a short moment, as everyone tried to figure out if there was something, anything appropriate to say to one's vigilante friend with a past that apparently includes makeup training, but is otherwise a mystery.

Thankfully, Robin spoke first. "What colors are you planning to wear out?" he asked, taking the moment to sort through the eyeshadow palettes.

The change of subject was sudden enough that M'gann had to think a moment. "Oh! Um. I don't know. How about..." and she changed her skirt to a blue jean one. "Is this fine?"

"You can wear anything you want," Robin said, still laying out little boxes.

"Come on, dress up a little," Artemis suggested, leaning over to poke M'gann in the arm.

She smiled, and her clothes faded into a simple white dress, complete with a necklace and matching shoes. Then a big, floppy-brimmed hat swirled into being on her head.

Robin laughed, and Artemis said in a strangled voice, "Maybe the hat is a little much."

M'gann smiled, eyes still closed, and the hat was gone. "White," Robin said, grabbing a few boxes. "I can work with white."

A brush touched her eyes, a gel was spread on her lips, and Robin said, "How do you feel about glitter?"

"Yes please!" M'gann responded, clapping her hands. "Glitter is fun!"

"Here we go," Robin said, and then there was tickling at the corner of her eyes, on her nose, and all over.

She sneezed and looked startled, opening her eyes in the process. Artemis laughed at her, and Robin handed her a hairbrush loaded with sparkles. "Tug that through your hair," he instructed, then pulled a few rubber bands and a comb out of his box, heading over to Artemis.

"Wait! What do you think you're doing?" Artemis exclaimed, rising halfway out of her chair.

"Your hair," Robin said dryly. "The ponytail is practical, but let's see what else we can do."

Artemis grumped, but settled back in the chair, and Robin took that for the "Yes please!" that it was. It didn't take him long to get it down and brushed out, since it was well taken care of and almost tangle-free. Then he paused, went back to his box, and pulled out a clip.

It scared Artemis, especially when he snapped it open and closed in her face a few times, laughing. "What is that torture device?" she demanded, even if she already knew.

"Why, it's my brain-eater," Robin said in a faux-creepy voice, playing along. "It likes young, female brains. Especially blond brains." And the clip was in, bringing a low ponytail back up her head and then letting her hair spill out behind her, like a waterfall.

While they'd been working, M'gann had finished applying the glitter in small streaks, and manipulated her own hair into high pigtails. Superboy contributed by continuing to stare at the mirror.

"What do you think?" M'gann asked, standing and twirling in a circle to show off her hairdo.

"You look adorable," Robin said fondly, and Artemis agreed. M'gann smiled and dipped into a curtsy, and shot a glance that was a little too long at the boy on the couch.

Artemis slung an arm around her shoulders and said, "We look gorgeous. I'm the stereotypical beautiful model, and you're the adorable grown-up little girl."

"You'll turn heads," Robin agreed, piling brushes back into his case.

"What are you going to wear?" M'gann asked, looking the boy up and down. "You can't go in your Robin suit."

"As much as it would boost my street cred being seen with two gorgeous creatures like you on my arms, I'm going to need a disguise. I can't risk being recognized," Robin declared, closing his case with a snap. "So I'm going to go change. Don't leave without me!"

"We wouldn't dare," Artemis said wryly, watching M'gann float over to the couch. She sat back down and pulled her math book closer. Maybe she'd actually get something done this afternoon.

...If she stopped sneaking peeks at her compact.

In fact, that was the reason she didn't get much done before Kaldur arrived.

The Atlantian stopped in the doorway. "Hello," he greeted, causing Artemis to look up at him, and M'gann and Superboy to turn in his direction. "Wow. Um. Everyone is looking exceptionally pretty today."

M'gann beamed at him, and Artemis thanked him. Superboy scowled. "I'm not pretty," he said.

"Indeed you're not," Kaldur backtracked. "I meant handsome. You're particularly handsome today. Very...mature looking. Very not pretty."

Superboy scowled at him. "I _could_ be pretty. If I wanted to."

Artemis muttered something along the lines of, "Please don't ever want to," and Kaldur quietly agreed.

Out loud he said, "Of course you could. However, I think this look suits you."

Superboy cracked a small smile, and turned back to the mirror in his hand.

M'gann grabbed one of Kaldur's hands in both of hers and sparkled at him. "Robin does excellent makeup," she informed him.

"Robin?" he wondered. But he had a pretty girl on his arm, and his king had taught him better than that. He gently changed her grip, set one hand on her waist, and spun her out. She tripped over her feet, laughed, and spun back in, letting him dip her. She could have floated, minimizing her weight, but she didn't. Kaldur wondered what he had done to earn such trust.

He spun her one more time, and bent over her hand to drop a kiss on it. She bowed back, then realized and attempted to change it to a curtsy. It ended up being an odd bobbing thing, but it didn't really matter.

He looked over at Artemis, dressed casually, and M'gann's pink skin and white dress. "I take it we're going out?"

"When Kid Flash arrives," Artemis confirmed, tapping her pencil on her book. Kaldur smiled at M'gann and dropped her hand. "You look very beautiful today, too," he informed Artemis, a smile hidden in the corner of his mouth. She smirked back and blew him a kiss. "Flirt," he teased.

"Heartbreaker," she shot back.

He was about to respond when a strange girl entered the kitchen. She wasn't tall, but not quite as short as, say, Robin. Short, messy brown hair was appealingly styled to look unstyled, and hid bright hazel eyes and a young, perfectly pretty face. A Wendy the Werewolf Stalker shirt and short denim skirt were topped by bracelets and straps and boots just this side of punk. She was neither busty not flat, but proportionate, with slim hips and legs to die for.

And, apparently, she'd sneaked through all their security measures and no one had noticed, because whoever this girl was, she didn't have clearance to enter the mountain. That much, they were all sure of.

"Who are you?" Artemis demanded. "How did you get in here?"

"Hi, Kaldur! And see?" the girl said. "Now we're a girl band! We've got the untouchable one, the bad girl one, and the adorably young one!" And she giggled a familiar giggle.

"R-robin?" M'gann stuttered.

"Holy _crap_," Artemis said intelligently.

Kaldur's jaw about hit his knees.

"Why are you a girl?" Superboy asked.

It was weird, hearing Robin's male voice come from the girl who looked nothing like him. "If you guys don't recognize me as Robin, no one else will ether. I'm as safe as I can get. And call me Jessie."

Everyone was forced to agree that, indeed, no one would suspect this girl of being Robin.

'Jessie' wandered over to the couch, handing Superboy a pair of thick black glasses. "What are these for?" Superboy asked.

'Jessie' shrugged. "Disguise. You don't think Superman goes to work as Superman, do you? He hides his identity. Mostly with small things, like glasses. Glasses like those."

Superboy considered this, and was asking not-Robin about his shirt when Wally finally sped into Mt. Justice, stopping in the kitchen first.

"Hi, guys! Sorry, I got held up at—Whoa. Is that you, Artemis? _Megan?_ You girls look freaking amazing!"

"Thanks," Artemis said, purposefully striking a pose, hip out and arms crossed. M'gann skipped over to cling to her arm, and the girl-who-wasn't moved to lean against the table next to them. 'Jessie' said, "We really could be a girl band."

"You guys totally could," Wally agreed, and then did a double take. "Who the hell are you? How'd you get in here?"

"I the hell am Jessie." Since this patent lie was delivered in Robin's regular voice, it didn't take long for Wally to figure things out.

"Why are you a girl?" Wally asked.

"Deja vu, much?" Artemis snarked, and M'gann giggled into her hand, careful not to smudge her lipgloss.

"Disguise," Robin answered. "So we can go out in public. Which we're doing right now." He clamped onto Wally's arm and started dragging the boy towards the door, which was no mean feat in platform boots.

Artemis grabbed her bag and followed Kaldur, and M'gann stopped long enough to say, "Come on, Superboy. Let's go!"

The stoic boy did join them, still clutching his mirror in one hand. M'gann slipped her own hand into his other one, trying to distract him, and also blushing an appealing red. Artemis smiled at her friend's antics, and took a few steps ahead, letting the two walk side by side.

Wally dropped back to walk with her, Kaldur falling in beside Rob—beside Jessie. "I mean it, you know," Wally said. "You look gorgeous."

And she knew, she _knew_ it was just a compliment and that he gave them every day, but for once, for today, she could actually believe him. A warm feeling settled into her stomach and her smile grew. "I'd say the same to you, but I'd be lying," she responded.

But it lacked her usual bite and he knew it, giving a tentative smile in response.

"Come on," Wally said, very consciously not taking her hand. "Let's go paint the town!"

"Yeah," said Robin, walking backwards beside Kaldur, watching his teammates. "They'll never know what hit 'em."

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><p><em>...<br>_

_Superboy: But we don't have any paint?_


End file.
